Nagpur: Hurray!! Nagpurians enjoying a free ride in NMC’s electric buses!!
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has received 17 electric buses on the occasion of 75th Independence Day and ten of them are running on the roads. Three of these buses are operator-free and deal with digital cash for tickets. But many people are sitting in the bus as they do not have the required swipe card for this transaction. As there is no conductor in it, the citizens are well catered for and they are able to enjoy free travel. The source said that the Corporation is bearing a loss of Rs. 20 per km.
Orange City got 17 electric buses on the occasion of Independence Day. The buses were dedicated by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. Three of these buses are running without conductors. As there is no conductor facility for ticketing, you have to use the Chalo App card in the bus machine. But the NMC started these three electric buses without creating any public awareness about the Chalo App card. So citizens don’t have a Chalo App card. Since there is no conductor in the bus, the commuters do not know what to do with the machine. Therefore, citizens have got a great opportunity to travel free of cost in these buses.
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16April 2025
At present, the Municipal Corporation gets an income of Rs. 24 per kilometre traveled by ordinary bus. But the income from this electric bus is negligible. Only a few people have a Chalo App Card. Therefore, the civic body is getting only Rs 4 per km from this bus. Of course, the Corporation has to bear a loss of Rs. 20 per km.
Even earlier, Scania’s ethanol-powered buses were running in the city. Nagpurians were also travelling in this bus. But the municipality was unable to pay the company. So the company took the buses back. Now the Municipal Corporation has decided to provide the facility of Chalo App cards in electric buses and it is causing loss. As a result, the condition of this bus should not be like Scania’s ethanol bus, citizens are expressing hope.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the Chalo App card for electric bus travel on Independence Day. Three digital buses were launched in the city. Compared to that, Chalo App cards were expected to be distributed to a large number of citizens. But so far only 40 citizens have Chalo App cards, an official said. Only forty citizens are eligible to travel in this electric bus. Other citizens, however, are currently travelling for free.
